AN: Thank you for your reviews for all your support, for following and favouriting my story.
I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit.
"So I wonder what Minerva has planned how to deal with the whole situation? I hope she has something up her sleeve. In my opinion there has to be changes. If we carry on as before, the whole situation is going to blow up in our face. There are too many disturbed teenagers around and not only in Slytherin, may I add," Severus said his voice a bit louder than normally.
It was a week before the students would be arriving and Minerva had called them together to the traditional beginning of school year conference. Severus and Hermione were walking through the deserted hallways of Hogwarts towards the headmistress' office.
Hermione nodded, "I agree with you, I'm just not sure, if she will see it the same way. I mean she is very … I don't know."
"Old?"
"Yes, but that's not what I meant. It's rather she is very traditional and very set in her ways. Well we'll see won't we? By the way how is Mister Rowle doing?"
"He is doing fine. He helped Neville a lot while we were away, he stocked up the potions for Poppy and he actually found some facts in the books he was reading he wanted to discuss with me. I've got a time-table worked out for him, but if you have any other ideas for some work for him just let me know. Nothing dull though, he needs to be challenged."
"I'll think about it," she replied just when they had arrived at the gargoyle leading to Minerva's office.
"Ah Hermione, Severus. It's good to have you back. How was your holiday?" Filius, who had just arrived as well, asked.
"It was lovely thank you. I saw a lot of stuff. Crete has such an interesting culture."
Severus grinned at her explanation.
"What about you Severus did you enjoy your holiday?" "
Very much, but I enjoyed the doing nothing part more for once. Just being with my fiancée and my child, going for a swim, going out for a nice meal, watching the sunset."
"I guess it must have been nice to be carefree at last," Filius replied with a knowing smile.
"Exactly. So should we go in?" Severus asked before Filius said the password.
They were the last ones to arrive at the meeting and so Severus and Hermione were sitting opposite of each other, since all the other seats were already taken.
"Hello everybody, I'm glad you are all back from your holidays and I hope you are all excited about the new school year starting in a week," Minerva greeted them all. Hermione had to bite back a laugh, since Severus was pulling a face about the idea of him being excited about the beginning of term.
"The dormitories and common rooms should be ready in a couple of days. If there is anything in your classrooms that needs to be fixed please let Mister Filch know. The first day will be as always, so nothing new there. Mister Rowle will be spending the next months with us under the wings of Severus, if there are any problems please contact Severus. Mister Travers and Mister Jugson will be repeating their last year, but not in Slytherin anymore. I will be in charge of them, so don't hesitate to talk to me if there are any problems with them. Before we talk about our new first years, is there anything else to discuss?" Minerva asked finishing her explanation.
Hermione looked at Severus, who's face was distorted with supressed anger, due to the fact that Minerva was totally ignoring the events of the last weeks of the previous term.
"What are you intending to do about the fact that four of our students attacked one of their fellow students and a teacher?"Severus asked quietly, trying to control his anger.
"Nothing, there is nothing to do. The case was brought before the Wizengamot and they got their punishment. So I think there is nothing else to do."
"Excuse me, but I beg to differ. Three years ago there has been a war raging in this country and we are bound to deal with the aftermath here in our school. I'm convinced there are many, many students that would need counselling, since they are scared or disturbed. It's our obligation to help them," Severus said quite agitated.
"I totally agree with Severus," Neville said, "I'm a grown man and I have nightmares, I jump at loud noises and I still can't comprehend what happened and I'm still horrified about how many people lost their lives. It must be worse for those young children. We should really do something about it."
"I tell you something, if you observe any disturbing or odd behaviour you report back to me. So know we'll move on to discussing the first years…"
"If that's all you are going to do, I've got to excuse myself, because I think I'm going to be sick," Severus cut across her and left the room slamming the door.
Fuming at the short-sightedness of the headmistress Severus went down to the lake and started skimming stones. After a couple of minutes he heard someone approach, but couldn't be bothered turning around, thinking it was one of the teachers to convince him coming back to the meeting.
"Wow nine times that was a good one, Sir. I never got the hang of skimming stones," Thorben said, trying to skim a stone himself now.
"Didn't your dad teach you?"
"No my dad never took time for me, except to teach me about pureblood supremacy and point out all my mistakes."
"I'm sorry… You need to bend your knees a little bit more, so you are closer to the surface of the water and the only movement is in your wrist. Look how I'm doing it."
Thorben studied Severus' movement with his head tilted and copied his movement.
"Hey I did it," Thorben grinned.
"Four times. Not bad. You only need a little bit of practice now."
They were skimming stones for a while in silence.
"Isn't there a staff meeting going on at the moment?"
"Yes there is, but I had to clear my head. Can I ask you something?"
Thorben nodded.
"What would have helped you after the war? What could have prevented the events with Mister Bell and Professor Granger?"
"I don't know. I can only speak for myself, but I needed someone to talk to, someone to take care of me, when the thing with my mum happened, someone to teach me right from wrong, … some…someone who would em…embrace me and … hold me, when I woke up from nightmares, but mainly to have somebody with a friendly ear for me," his voice trailed off and he turned away so Severus wouldn't see the tears gathering in his eyes.
"That's what I've thought," Severus mumbled to himself.
"You know tears are nothing to be ashamed of," Severus squeezed Thorben's arm.
"Have you ever cried? That's a sign of weakness. And it's even worse if you do it in front of other people," Thorben glared at Severus and shook his arm off.
"Did your dad teach you that?"
The young wizard nodded stubbornly.
Severus sighed, "I don't think tears are a sign of weakness. They only show that you are capable of emotions and feelings and somehow it helps to let it all out. But I don't know how. I'm fairly new to all of this."
"All of what?"
"Emotions, feelings that sort of thing."
"So did you ever cry in front of other people?"
"Yes I did."
"When?"
"Once when my daughter was born and once in my relationship with Professor Granger."
"A man doesn't cry." Severus sighed, "I once had the same ideas like you, of what a man should or shouldn't do. It turned out I was wrong. Would you like to come up to my office for a cup of tea?"
Thorben shrugged his shoulders .
"Dunno," he mumbled. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I was under the impression you wanted to change your life, but I'm not so sure now."
Thorben glared at Severus his arms crossed over his chest.
"That was an invitation to have tea with me, if you don't accept, because you are stubborn, well then I'm ordering you to have tea with me now. We will talk about your tasks for the next couple of weeks. Come on now!"
They walked in silence up to the castle, passing Hagrid on his way to his hut.
"Minerva is pissed at you," he said quietly.
"I didn't expect anything different. Thanks for the warning though," Severus replied.
Shortly after passing the Great Hall, Minerva came storming down the main stair.
"What the hell was that? Do you really think you can just leave the staff meeting, just because I'm not dancing to your tune?" Severus hands clenched into fists.
"It's not about you and me. It's all about the children. You just want to go on like before. Pretend nothing happened, pretend there wasn't an incident were one of your teachers was nearly killed."
"It's just because you care for Hermione. That's all. You wouldn't give a shit if it would have been somebody else."
Severus was infuriated, his magic vibrating around him.
"That's not true and you know it. Come on Mister Rowle, let's go before I forget myself."
When they arrived at Severus' office he had cooled down a little, but Thorben sensed that it was still wise, not to anger his former professor further.
"I'm sorry Sir about my behaviour earlier."
"No hard feelings! Please sit down, I'll make us some tea," Severus gave Thorben a small smile.
"So you really want to become a healer?"
"Yes Sir. I have seen how the healers at St. Mungo's tended to my mother and I decided that's what I want to do. I want to do something useful."
"What about your dad? What will he say?"
Severus turned around from making the tea his voice full of concern, knowing exactly, that Thorfinn Rowle would be less than thrilled when he would find out his son, wanted to become a healer.
"I don't know."
"What would you say to him if he would ask you why on earth you want to become a healer, only sissies become healers."
Severus had a challenging look on his face.
"What does it matter, what I'd say to him? He is in Azkaban anyway. I won't see him for a long time."
"Tell me what you would say to him," Severus barked at Thorben.
"I … I …. would say that I want to be a useful member of society not … not … sc…scum like him."
"Can you say it without stammering," Severus asked his eyes cold.
"I want to be a useful member of our society," Thorben said.
"What makes you think healers are that great, Thorben?"
"They are better than you," Thorben replied.
"Is that so?" Severus asked in a dangerously low voice.
"YES, BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST SCUM," Thorben jumped up from his seat yelling at Severus.
Suddenly realising what he had just yelled at his former potions professor and parole officer he backed away his eyes wide in fear, his hands raising in front of his face to shield himself from any fist that might hit him.
"I … I'm sorry Professor Snape," he stammered. Severus features softened instantly seeing the behaviour of his former student.
"Mister Rowle you don't have to fear anything from me. I won't hurt you. I'm guessing your father did hurt you though," Severus stated matter-of-factly.
Thorben gave a barely visible nod.
"Please sit down and let me explain something to you," Severus said, while Thorben hesitantly sat down again.
"I just wanted to make sure you can stand your ground, that's why I challenged you. As your father is your most inveterate foe it's necessary, that you know what to say and stand firm. That's why I challenged you. There will be others that will be against you and will make fun, but he will be the most dangerous one for you. The day you apologised to Professor Granger and turned yourself in, you changed sides. You made a decision against your dad. And I know it wasn't an easy decision, I know what I'm talking about. I had a father just like yours cold-hearted and abusive."
Thorben swallowed hard at the words of Severus, but knowing he was right.
"I had to make the same decision and it hurt me, because it made me realise that I had to change my life. A life till then I thought to be alright. When it turned out I was wrong all the time it hurt."
For a few minutes there was silence, while Severus finished making the tea.
When Severus handed Thorben a cup of tea, Thorben mumbled, "I'm glad they made you my parole officer. You seem to understand."
Severus gave him a smile. They were sipping their tea in silence for a couple of minutes.
"So since you want to become a healer, I thought you will be in the lab with Professor Granger and me every Saturday morning brewing potions for the hospital wing. That gives Professor Granger the time to concentrate on the more advanced potions for her apprenticeship and it will give you the opportunity to excel at the more simply potions, that are needed at the hospital wing. From Monday to Wednesday you will be helping Madame Pomfrey at the hospital wing. She is an excellent teacher, so if you pay close attention you will be way ahead of your fellow students when you start at St. Mungo's. Thursday afternoons and evenings you will be at Professor Longbottom's side, helping out at the green house and collecting ingredients with him. Thursday mornings and Friday will be reserved for your personal studies to prepare for the screening test at St. Mungo's. Saturday afternoons and Sunday you will be off. The hour before dinner on Friday will be reserved for practising skimming stones with me," Severus winked at him.
"You should now hurry along. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Thank you, Sir," Thorben said, placing the cup on the desk and was about to leave the room, when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Severus replied to the knock.
"Hello Severus! Um … Mister Rowle hello."
"Good evening Professor Granger! I was about to leave. Can I say something before I go? I wanted to apologise about what happened last term. I'm really sorry." Hermione reached out and shook his hand.
"You have already apologised once. You don't have to do it again. We are fine. No hard feelings."
"Thanks," Thorben said, leaving with an expression on his face Hermione couldn't read.
"Why was he looking at me like that?"
Severus shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know?"
"That was quite a staff meeting, " Hermione said slumping down on a chair next to Severus, who just huffed.
"I can't believe she won't be doing anything about it," Severus said after a couple of moments.
"I think she might be traumatised from the war as well and I think she is overworked being headmistress and teaching transfiguration since she still hasn't found anybody to teach the subject. I think that all leads up to her ostrich policy," Hermione said.
"You might be right. I'm still mad though. Would you fancy a meal at the Three Broomsticks with Elena and me tonight? I can't be bothered eating with the others."
"I would love that," she replied kissing him lightly on the lips.
AN: Looking forward to your reviews ;-)